If you live alone during this strange period of social distancing, it’s understandable that you might be feeling isolated, lonely, and probably a little bit bored. But thankfully there are ways you can counteract these negative feelings, and feel happier, more productive and connected with the world around you.
According to Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at mental health charity Mind, “it’s important to keep your mind stimulated, occupied and challenged” in order to keep feelings of loneliness, anxiety and other mental health issues at bay.
And Charlotte Fox Weber, head of psychotherapy at The School of Life, agrees: “Being isolated leads to incredible rumination for many of us, where we might feel trapped - not just by our physical circ*mstances, but by our own thoughts and feelings. It really helps to get out of your own head, even for a few minutes at a time, and keep yourself distracted and entertained.”
Of course, there’s no shame in doing absolutely nothing at all, if that’s what suits you. These times are challenging already, without putting pressure on yourself. But if you’re looking for some creative ideas to fill your days – besides the usual book or movie – we’re here to help. We asked a group of experts for recommendations of mood-boosting activities and their favourite ways to keep busy if you’re staying at home by yourself.
From crafty projects and simple exercises, to online adventures and fun new ways to connect with people, we’ve compiled their best ideas to help you tackle the weeks ahead. Read on, and see if anything takes your fancy…
1. Set yourself a drawing challenge
Doing something creative, like drawing, can help get your brain into a state of ‘flow’ – “this is when a task is so absorbing, it’s almost like meditation,” says Dr Rangan Chatterjee, GP and author of Feel Better in Five. You don’t need to be any good – you just need to get stuck in. “Set yourself a challenge of making five ten-minute drawings every day,” suggests Lorna Scobie, illustrator and author of 365 Days of Creativity. “They can be of anything – you could draw your face in the mirror, a house plant or a chair.” After a few days, you’ll notice your drawing skills improving too. Keep all your drawings to track your progress.
2. Revamp your tins
If you’ve been stocking up on lots of tins and jars for cooking, why not reuse them for something crafty? Sara Davies, founder of Crafter’s Companion and one of the Dragon's Den dragons, suggests turning them into storage pots. “Once you’ve washed them, all you have to do is cover the metal tin in glue and wrap it in a pretty patterned paper,” she explains. “Or, with Mason jars, you can place your patterned paper inside.” If you don’t have any patterned paper, you could use old wrapping paper or even design your own. They’ll be perfect for pens, makeup brushes, or any other bits and bobs!
Find more easy, at-home craft ideas at crafterscompanion.co.uk.
3. Get stuck into bread-making
You might have noticed a trend for cooking, and especially baking, as we all have more time to spend in the kitchen. But bread-making is particularly good if you live alone, says Good Housekeeping’s cookery director Meike Beck. “You can make a loaf and it will last a while,” she says. “Or you can freeze it, either whole or sliced. Separate your slices with baking parchment – that way you can take out a slice or two at a time without needing to defrost the whole loaf.” Kneading bread is a great workout in itself, and there’s little more satisfying than eating your sandwich on home-baked loaf. Plus, it’ll save another trip to the supermarket! Find out how to make the perfect loaf here.
4. Sew an eye mask
For an easy craft project, why not sew yourself an eye mask using your favourite fabric? "If you're new to sewing or haven't done it in a while, choose a quick and achievable project that will give you a sense of accomplishment," says blogger and author Tilly and the Buttons. She has provided a free downloadable pattern and instructions on her website. You can also find more simple sewing ideas in her latest book, Make It Simple.
5. Stay connected
Although WhatsApp and other social media sites are a great way to connect to your loved ones sporadically, Mind’s Stephen Buckley recommends turning social interactions into commitments. “Make plans to have regular chats with friends and family,” he says, in the same way as you would plan to meet up with people in real life. Group video chat apps like Zoom and Houseparty are making this incredibly easy, and there’s a big trend for organising virtual quizzes, and fancy dress parties. Connecting with others regularly is an important way to combat loneliness.
6. Join in the virtual fun
If you don’t fancy creating your own quiz, there are plenty of fun online quizzes you can join. Spectacularpubquizzes.com has a variety of amazing quiz nights coming up, centred on different themes including Disney, Friends and Game of Thrones. It’s free, although they do recommend you donate around £5 to Child.org, if you can afford it.
7. Dig out your yoga mat
If you struggle to meditate, you’re not alone. This is why a moving meditation, like the yoga ‘sun salutation’, can be particularly helpful to switch off your whirling thoughts and reconnect with your body. In her book, The Vertue Method, yoga teacher and personal trainer Shona Vertue recommends recording the below script on your phone, explaining the details very slowly so that the movement matches the pace of a slow breath. Read everything in this script, including the breaths, noted in brackets.
“Roll out your mat and come to stand with your palms touching by your chest, also known as Tadasana. Take five deep breaths here with your eyes closed to enable your mind to focus. Press play on your recording device to begin,” she says.
Inhale – Reach your arms above your head.
Exhale – Fold forwards, bringing your hands towards the floor.
Inhale – Place the hands on the shins, flatten the back and look forwards.
Hold the breath – Step into a lunge position.
Exhale – Step into a push-up position and lower.
Inhale – Push into the arms to lift your chest and come into a back bend. Keep your knees, hips and thighs off the floor.
Exhale – Press back into downward facing dog. Stay here for 5 breaths. (Breathe on your recording so you can keep the timing of 5 breaths.)
Inhale – Bend your knees and look forwards.
Exhale – Step the feet to the hands and fold your head towards your shins.
Inhale – Lift the body and reach up to the sky.
Exhale – Bring your hands to prayer at the heart.
Repeat the sequence five times.
If this is too complicated, you can modify the sequence and even just focus on stretching up, folding forward and breathing in a controlled way.
8. Sow seeds
If you have some outdoor space, gardener and author of Modern Container Gardening Isabelle Palmer suggests sewing seeds directly into your garden, like poppies, nigella, wildflower mixes and asters. “As they grow from a seed, it will be a lovely pastime watching them grow over the summer,” she says. Watching plants grow can also help to remind you of the passing of time, which can be a useful thought if isolation feels endless. If you don’t have a garden, Palmer recommends growing herbs on a sunny windowsill, like chives, parsley, thyme and rosemary. They'll give you something to nurture, and liven up your cooking too.
9. Join an online book club
If you love reading but seek social interaction too, why not join our online book club? Good Housekeeping’s Book Room on Facebook is an active space where you can recommend books, chat to like-minded readers and join thousands of others in reading the book of the month. April’s read is Those Who Are Loved by Victoria Hislop.
10. Learn a dance routine
You might have noticed a trend for family dance routines online – but that doesn’t mean you can't join in the fun if you’re on your own. As well as being great physical exercise you can do from the comfort of your own living room, it’s good for your mental health too. “Dancing changes the way we feel and think, and boosts our self-esteem,” says Dr Peter Lovatt, author of The Dance Cure. You can dance free-style, but learning a routine helps test your memory and is therefore a great brain-training exercise. There are plenty of free classes and tutorials available online, including Strictly favourite Oti Mabuse. Find her easy lessons on her Instagram, and get grooving!
11. Offer help
If you’re in a position of being able to help others, take any opportunities you can. Studies have found that being kind to others can boost your own positive emotions – this is known as ‘helper’s high.’ Plus, says The School of Life's Charlotte Fox Weber, "being helpful is the best antidote to the helplessness we may be feeling." Whether that’s offering to shop for a neighbour, or using your skillset to provide coaching or tutoring over video call, helping others can give you a purpose and structure to your day, while making you feel more positive in the process. It’s a win-win.
12. Plan out your goals
Although the future feels so uncertain, thinking about your hopes, dreams and goals for the future can actually have a grounding effect, says Fox Weber. “Create a vision board full of pictures of places you’d like to visit and things you want to achieve, or you just write down a list of your long-term goals,” she suggests. “Thinking about our hopes and dreams helps us anchor ourselves no matter how unknown everything around us may be. We can’t control everything, but we can still design and direct where we go in our own lives to some extent. Given how helpless we feel about the world right now, it’s consoling to feel that we can take charge of our own lives in certain ways.”
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